Just a few hours before we role on out

Over the past week LP and I have been working hard to make final preparations for our departure (D-day) on Sunday.  There are a few loose ends that will probably still remain once we hit the road, but I am confident that I can tie them up while on the road.  Right now our main concerns are packing (gear on the bikes, care packages that will be shipped along the way, and a house that will hopefully have a sub letter in a few weeks), saying goodbye to wonderful people who we will miss dearly, and final upgrades to our bikes.

Packing

Decisions, decisions!  I’ll be posting a gear list in a few days but needless to say this has probably been the hardest trip I’ve ever had to pack for since more than just weather and activity are affecting my decisions.  I also have weight, lessons, and cleanliness to worry about!  I’ve finally decided to just stop worrying so much about it.  We’ll be bringing two day outfits and one night.  One iPad for blogging and reading bedtime stories.  And our camping gear.  After a couple of nights camping in the living room I think we got it pretty much figured out.

Upgrades

As the amazing mechanics over at my favorite bike shop, Ferris Wheels, said, “it’s not the most traditional setup [for touring].”  And no, nothing about what we are about to do is traditional. For a while I wondered if I’d even be able to pull this off with my Fuji crosstown bike.  But with a little help from some great classes at REI and Bikes not Bombs I figured out ways that I can make it work.  So a lower gear ratio, some clip-in pedals, and new brakes and I already feel like I can tackle the next big mountain!

Goodbye

This is probably the hardest part.  May is when people just start coming out of winter hibernation here in Boston so to just be saying “hello” only to say “goodbye” or “so long,” has been really hard on Little Prince.  Just as his friends are emerging and the warm weather LP is going on an adventure which he’s still not 100% sure he wants to go on.  Back in November when we started planning it sounded like a fabulous idea to him, especially since May was so far in the future.  But, D-day is upon us and he’s afraid – I have surmised – of missing out on amazing things with his friends.  It’s a lesson we all have to learn at some point and maybe this is setting LP up for success: learning that he must live his life his way and not worry about what he MIGHT miss out on when his path takes him away from the paths of those people he has grown close to.  Even as an adult I have trouble with this, so I certainly understand where he is coming from.  But, this is the trouble with making choices: rarely may we have our cake and eat it too.

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